Surprises galore in Kozhikode

By Our Staff Reporter

KOZHIKODE, MAY 14.The poll results of the just-concluded election threw up major surprises in Kozhikode district. The uncertainties which accompany a political poll outcome were clearly in operation. This was evident from the very beginning as the first polling figures started trickling in. Initially, it seemed as though the UDF would usurp eight of the 12 Assembly constituencies, but when the final results came the tally stood at 6 each. The UDF had annexed four of the LDF seats. While it maintained its sitting seats of Koduvally and Thiruvambadi, it gained Kozhikode-I, Kozhikode-II, Koilandy and Kunnamangalam.

The LDF held on to its sitting seats in Vadakara, Nadapuram, Beypore, Meppayur, Balussery and Perambra.

The anti-incumbency factor, alleged cross voting and the like were obviously responsible for the reversal in fortunes.

The surprise wins termed as `attimari vijayam' in local parlance were no doubt the IUML's victory in Kozhikode-II and the UDF supported Independent, Mr. U.C.Raman's, victory in Kunnamangalam. The Muslim League dislodged the CPI(M) candidate in the Kozhikode-II constituency, long considered a Left bastion. Despite the wafer-thin margin, this was the most surprising victory where the IUML candidate, Mr. T.P.M. Saheer, polling 48,886 votes, usurped the seat from the LDF candidate, Mr. Elamaram Kareem (48,099 votes). The latter's victory in this constituency had been a foregone conclusion. The winning margin here was a mere 787 votes.

The IUML registered a victory in Koduvally too where their candidate, Mr. C. Mammootty, polled 65,209 votes, against his Janata Dal-S rival, Mr. C. Mohisin (48,332). Here the IUML registered a high margin when compared to the slender margins otherwise evident in the district.

In 1996, the winning margin here had been a mere 94 votes, when Mr. C. Moyinkutty had defeated his Janata Dal rival, Mr. C.Mohisin. In fact, this slender margin had given rise to speculations of a likely reversal in fortunes.

In Thiruvambadi too, the winning margin shows a commendable increase.

Another constituency where a UDF-supported candidate swept the polls was Kunnamangalam, where the UDF backed Independent, Mr. U.C. Raman, defeated the CPI(M) nominee, Mr. P. Kunhan.

The victory of the Congress candidate, Mr. A. Sujanapal, in Kozhikode-I was more or less a foregone conclusion. The constituency has been alternately electing LDF and UDF candidates. In Koilandy, where a neck-and-neck fight was on between Mr. P. Viswan (CPI-M) and Mr. P. Sankaran (Congress), it was difficult to predict the outcome. However, here too the Congress made a definite dent into the vote banks of the LDF and registered a victory.

Sources allege various factors which could be cited as reasons for this definite change of fortunes. Cross voting by the BJP in favour of the UDF is suspected to have been operational in Kozhikode-I and Kozhikode-II. It is pointed out that the BJP candidate, Mr. C. Prabhakaran in Kozhikode-I, polled only 6,787 votes when the BJP candidate, Ms. Sumathi Haridas, had polled more than 9,556 votes in 1996.

In Kozhikode-II meanwhile, the BJP candidate Mr. K.P.G. Pannikker, registered 7,345 votes, in contrast to the 10,782 votes polled by the BJP candidate, Mr. K. Krishnan Master, in 1996. Sources therefore point to cross voting. In Beypore too, the BJP is alleged to have voted in favour of the IUML candidate. The only constituency where there has been an increase in BJP votes in this election is Kunnamangalam. In 1996, the BJP accounted for 11,878 votes, as compared to 13,741 votes polled by the BJP candidate, Mr. P.K. Velayudhan this time.

When compared to 1996, when the BJP registered 1,04,568 votes in the district, the figure came down to 92,968 votes in this election, a difference of 11,600 votes, sources reveal.

Meppayur recorded the highest polling percentage - 82.39 per cent with Kozhikode-I accounting for the lowest - 68.33 per cent.

Besides the fact that the UDF has improved its tally in the Assembly from two to six, there has been an increase in the votes polled by the front.

Moreover, the UDF improved its position in ten constituencies in the district barring Balussery and Beypore. The LDF meanwhile has improved its performance in comparison to 1996, in certain constituencies such as Perambra and Beypore.

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Section  : State Elections
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